Sap-gathering means



L. s. BLOOD.

SAP GATHERING MEANS. AP PLICATIdN FILED NQV.13, I920.

Patented Jan. 18,1921.

(Juuawtm UNITED srArris harem OFFICE.

LEON ,S. BLOOD, Oi HARTLAND, VERMONT.

sar-earnnnrne MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pat td J 1 1921 Application filed November 13, 1920. Serial No. 423,917.

To all u: from itmay concem Be it known that I, LEON t5. BLoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartland, in the county of l l indsor andState of Vermont, have invented certain new and. useful Improvementsin Sap-Gathering Means, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

ceptacle.

Another object is to provide means of this character wherein one or more sap discharging spouts may be used in connection with one sap conveyer or conduit,and wherein one or more conveyers may be used in connection with each other to convey all of the sap discharged by the spouts into asingle receptacle. 1

Another objectof the invention is to provide means of this character including a novel conveyer which is open on one side for the reception of the ends of the spouts, the sap being protected in. its passage through the conveyer.

A still further object of theinvention is to provide a sap conveyer of this character consisting of a sheet of material arranged in conical form, and wherein the longitudinal edges of the sheet are adapted to engage the ends of any conventional form of s out.

p With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sap con-.

veyer constructed in accordance with an trunk of a tree, while the other end is in tended-todischarge the sap into a receptacle. Vl 1tlrthisfor1n of spout, it isof .COI'LISQDBCGSSLLTY to use arece )tacle with each spout so that the process 0 fillingthe receptacle is slow in view of the limited source of supply through the use of one spout and furthermore a quantity of buckets must belrept on hand. a

In order to eliminate this disadvantage andto facilitate the gathering of sap, there is provided a novel form of conveyer 5 consisting of a sheet of material preferably springmetal having its marginal edges 8 and 9 extended back or coiled toward each other to provide a conveyer or conduit of conical torin, said conveyer tapering from the end 6 to the end 7. The purpose of this is topermit the end 7 of the, conveyor to be disposed in the end 6 of an adjacent conveyor so that conduit of length may be formed toconvey thesap to a single receptacleB. a

a The longitudinal marginal, edges Sand 9 ofthe conveyor are disposed in confronting relation, and are intended to be separated to permit the entrance of the end of the spout. By this means, it is not necessary to fasten the spouts to the conveyer as the resiliency of the conveyer prevents disenga ement of the same from the spouts. To further assist in properly positioning the ends of the spouts within the conveyer, the marginal edge 9 is provided with a plurality of spaced recesses 10. The recesses are formedfor the purpose of providing stops or shoulders 11 so that when the ends of the spouts are inserted in the conveyor the stops-11 engage the sides of the spout to limit insertion of the spout and thereby position the end thereof centrally of the conveyer, so that thesap may be readily discharged as the end of the spout or spouts is prevented from engaging the opposite wall of the conveyer.

In the useot the device, the desired number of spouts A are disposedin the trunk of a tree. The marginal edges 8 and 9 of the conveyer are then separated a suiiicient distance to permit the insertion of the ends of the spouts so that the spouts extend inright angular relation to the conveyor. One of the spouts is intended to support the receptacle 13.. In this way, the sap is taken from several sources simultaneously and deposited leading'froni' each setof spouts toward each Y other, to a si ngle receptacle and a separate spout used to support the bucket. Another manner is shown in Fig. 3 which consists in placing a number or" spouts substantially in an inclined position and disposing the end 7 of one conveyor in the end 5 of an adjacent conveyor to thereby provide a relatively long conduit having one discharge, end through which the sap passes into a single receptacle supported by the end spout or by an additional spout; V

From the tfore omg it will be readily seen that this invent on provides a novel means of sap gathering which clearly facilitates the Work by conveying enough sap to permit rapid filling of the buckets, andat the same time eliminating the number of buckets previously used. In addition to this the sap, as it passes through the conveyor, is protected from all forms of foreign matter in view of the conical formation thereof and as 1 its construction is 'simpleand no fastening means are" used, it-may beread ly applied by anyone and used indefinitely. Another important feature is that the spouts extend a suflicient distance from the tree to allow for the curvature of the tree so that the position of the conveyors is not interfered with.

What is claimed is l. A device or" the character described comprising one or more spouts having one end of each spout disposed in a tree, a conical conduit member, one end of the spout being disposed in the side of said conduit member.

2. .1 device of the character described comprising one or more spouts having one end of each spout disposed in a tree, and a conduit member consisting of a sheet of material extended back upon itself to provide an annular conduit, the opposite ends of the spouts being disposed between the longitudinal edges of the conduit member.

3. A device of the character described comprising one or more spouts having one end of each spout disposed in a tree, a conveyer consisting of a sheet of material coiled upon itself to provide a conical conveyor, one of said longitudinal marginal edges having a plurality of spaced recesses adapted to receive the opposite ends of the spouts whereby the spouts are limited in their movement inwardly of the conveyor.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

LEON S. BLOOD. 

